Common lynx (photo of the animal you can see in our article) is a mammal predator belonging to the cat family. Usually the size of this cat does not inspire much fear: the fact is that this beast is not larger than the average dog. The length of the body of the predator does not exceed a meter, and the weight is not more than 18 kg. The appearance of this creature is very extraordinary: an arrogant and focused look, graceful ears crowned with long tassels, and hard meshes ("whiskers") that frame the face of this cat.
Awkward cat
All other parts of the body of the lynx are not so elegant. Moreover, at first glance, the predator may seem awkward and absurd: the hind legs are too long, and the tail, as it were, is not at all! But the forelimbs are wide and massive for such a relatively small beast. But mother nature did not accidentally reward this wild cat with such a disproportionate body structure. All this helps the animal survive in harsh northern conditions.
Report card
This creature with tassels on the ears, like many other animals, has the closest relatives - its subspecies. The classification of the common lynx includes several subspecies:
- Altai;
- Amur;
- Baikal;
- European
- Caucasian;
- Carpathian;
- Turkestan;
- Yakut.
It is worth noting that the lifestyle and description of each of these subspecies are practically no different from each other. By the way, the genus of lynxes is listed in the International Red Book as an endangered species, but more on that later.
Common lynx. Description
Thanks to the strong front paws, the height of the trot body in the shoulders can reach 65 cm. On the thick and massive legs there are sharp claws. Their wild cat releases at the moment of attack on its prey or during active climbing trees. Wide foot pads are designed to maintain balance in deep snow. This is especially necessary for lynx during the hunt. As mentioned above, due to the awkward structure of the body, the cat is perfectly adapted to life in harsh taiga forests.
Common Lynx (photo presented in the article) has a large and rounded head, on which the so-called "whiskers" are noticeable. The head is crowned with triangular ears with tassels at the ends. These brushes are not just a decoration, they are a kind of “antenna”. It is she who helps the cat hear even subtle sounds. If these brushes, for example, are cut off, then the hearing of the lynx will immediately dull. Therefore, for lovers to keep lynxes as pets, this should never be done. The color of most of these cats is rusty red, with dirty gray spots on the limbs. The belly is white.
Where does this wild cat live?
Well, since this cat is wild, it lives in the forests, and in the northern ones. You can meet this creature all over the planet. Lynx lives in Canada, in the United States of America, on the Scandinavian Peninsula and almost throughout the Russian Federation: the Amur Region and Altai Territory, Rostov and Ryazan Regions, the North Caucasus and Yakutia. The common lynx is perhaps the most northern species of all representatives of its kind. For example, in Scandinavia it is found even beyond the Arctic Circle! This cat can be found in Ukraine, but only within the tall and large forests of the taiga type. The animal adores deaf forests, for example, in the north of Polesie and in the Carpathians. Unfortunately, there remained solitary individuals of representatives of this genus feline.
The same can be said of European territories. Lynx was once widespread throughout Europe, but by the middle of the 20th century, this animal was completely exterminated in many countries of Western and Central Europe. Successful attempts have now been made to revive the population of these cats. For example, common lynx in the Saratov region began to actively breed already in the second half of the 80s of the last century. Currently, its habitat in this area covers the northern regions of the Right Bank: Volsky, Khvalynsky, Baltic, Voskresensky, Petrovsky.
What does a lynx eat?
As mentioned above, the common lynx is a typical predator of the cat family. A favorite delicacy of these cats are hares, but the predator is not averse to dine with small rodents (ground squirrels, field voles, beavers), and even birds (black grouse, capercaillie). In special cases, lynx can attack young deer, roe deer, wild boars and moose. The animal leads a round-the-clock way of life, therefore it hunts both in the daytime (early in the morning) and at night (late in the evening).
When food is plentiful, an ordinary lynx leads a sedentary lifestyle, and when it is scarce, it wanders from place to place. In one day the cat easily passes a distance of 30 km, catching the hares, grouse, small rodents and small ungulates already mentioned above. By the way, occasionally these animals can attack even domestic dogs and cats, as well as foxes. Nevertheless, the basis of the diet of lynxes is hare hares.
Why is lynx so hard to see in nature?
Once Dr. N. N. Drozdov, a doctor of biological sciences, said that a lynx is “a creature that is difficult to see at large. Few people in nature manage to get valuable photo and video frames with this cat. ” The professor was right, lynx hunts stealthily: in the early morning and at sunset (almost at dusk). These cats, like tigers, prefer to do everything alone and in pre-marked territory. Males are practically indifferent to their territories and easily tolerate the invasion of other males. In this case, both individuals try to avoid each other. Females are not as peaceful as males. If two individuals meet on someone else’s territory, a bloody battle cannot be avoided. That is why this animal so rarely enters the camera lens.
How does this cat hunt?
An ordinary lynx lies in wait for its prey, hiding near some tree or next to a trodden path. When the victim comes to the right distance, the hungry cat makes a lightning-fast jump on her back, gnawing the prey. According to Professor Drozdov, in the north of America these creatures prey on almost anything that can move. However, here too hares remain a favorite treat of these cats.
It is curious that in Scandinavia, lynxes love to bully reindeer. In areas with a cold climate, the carcasses of animals killed by a trot (for example, deer) stiffen quite quickly, so the cat needs to eat their meat as soon as possible. Otherwise, her face in the literal sense of the word will freeze to the prey! By the way, these cats are afraid of people and always try to avoid meeting them. But do not abuse it, because driven and wounded lynxes become very dangerous and ferocious creatures!
